Darning and weaving device



p 5, 1%39- H. v. K. FRIEDLAND 2,171,788

DARNING AND WEAVING DEVICE Filed Jan. 6, 1958 II ntm-nnnnzuxfafiaafl INVENTOR H.V.K. FrLedkmd A TORNEY Patented Sept. 5, 1939 UNITED STATES RATENT OFFICE 8 Olaims.

The present invention relates to darning and weaving devices and in its specific phases toa device of this character for darning and weaving a patch on fabric material.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of a darning and weaving device having a suitable block for mounting the fabric to be darned or the like, said block being provided with a groove around its edge for the reception of the edge of the head or frame portion of the mechanism, and a resilient means for gripping the block and frame portion together while holding the fabric to be darned in place.

Another object is to provide a mechanism of the character described which has elongated hook members, the hook ends of which are preferably wide so as to make large loops which facilitates threading the weaving yarn through same.

Another object is to provide only one set of hooks for the mechanism, a thing which simplifies darning and weaving since at the completion of the weaving stage, only one edge is left to be darned down and that is at the hook edge.

Another object is to provide the mechanism for shifting the hooks from one side to the other with a locking means for holding the hooks. in one of the shifted positions until the user is ready to shift the hooks to the opposite shifted position where they are again locked in place.

A further object is to provide the frame portion of the mechanism carrying the hooks With a special contour edge which facilitates the holding of the mechanism and shifting of the hooks by the user.

A further object is to provide a resilient means for gripping the parts together.

A further object is to provide a device whichis simple to construct, relatively inexpensive, and easy to operate.

Still further objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, consists of themeans hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawing and the following description setting forth in detail certain means for carrying out the invention, such disclosed means illustrating, however, but several of various ways in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing:

Figure 1 shows a top assembly view of the mechanism with a piece of fabric in the course of being darned.

Figure 2 shows a partially sectioned edge view of the mechanism taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1, but. omitting the fabric and darning.

Figure 3 is an end view in enlarged section of one form of the hook shifting and locking mechanism. 51

Figure 4 is an end View in enlarged section of a modified form of the'hook shifting and locking mechanism.

Figure 5 is a side view of a preferred form of hook usable according to the present invention. 10-

Figure 6 is a view of the hook taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

In the darning and weaving device to which this invention relates and which is particularly adapted to assist in the operation of darning l5 woven or knit fabrics, there is a block which may be made of wood, rubber,'plastic material, or the like. Thefabric to be darned is held in tight but substantially unstretched condition on this block, and the whole assembly gripped to- 20 gether for operation in manner which will be hereinafter described in detail.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the mechanism in its general form consists of a block l, a frame 2 carrying hooks 3, and a resilient member 4 for holding said block I and frame 2 together. Block I, which is preferably in the form of a round flat disc, is provided on its edge with a peripheral groove 5 adapted to be engaged by yoke 6 of frame 2 along one side, and by resilient member 4 along the other. While blocks of various shapes may be used, a round block has the advantage that when a piece of material is clamped thereon for darning, the material may be held smoothly without bunching, a difficulty which is commonly experienced if a rectangular block with relatively sharp corners is used. When a hole in a piece of fabric is to be darned, it is placed in smooth but substantially unstretched condition over the block I, and then frame 2 at yoke 6 is pressed up against the edge of the block I to force the fabric therebetween into groove 5. The resilient member 4, which carries hooks I and 8, has one of its hooks hooked through an opening 9 in frame 2. The resilient member l is then passed around block I at groove 5 and the other hook hooked through an opening ID in frame 2. The resilient member 4 acts to press the fabric to be darned into the groove 5 at the points where same is not gripped by yoke 6 of frame 2. Resilient member 4 may be made from a spring, partially from springs, or the equivalent, but for most purposes, I prefer to use a strong rubber band, since this is smooth and less liable to injure the fabric to be darned than would be the case if a full length spring was used in like manner. The showing of resilient member is to be considered as diagrammatic of any of these forms of construction.

The frame 2 of the device, which is preferably formed with an offset 29 to elevate the hook ends !8 above block I, is provided with a suitable supporting means for hooks 3, for instance, a pair of angles H and I2, or their equivalent, which may be an integral part of the frame 2 or fastoned theretoin conventional manner by welding, spot welding, brazing, riveting, or the like. Each of the angles 1 l and i2 is provided at convenient location with suitable aligned openings which act as bearings for hooks 3. The hooks 3 are pref erably formed so as to provide each with a hairpin bend or crank l3 which comes between angles H and 12. The cranks 13 of the hooks 3 are fastened to a hook shifting member I4 by means of bearing members l5 spaced substantially the same as the aligned openings for hooks 3 in angles II and I2. These bearing members [5 may be of various forms, several of which are shown, including riveted individual bearings (Figure 3), a strip containing a series of bearings 55a (Figure 4), and slit bearings in shifting member l4 (Figure 1). Hook shifting member l4 may be of various types of construction, the one snown in Figure 3 being of channel shape with its Inner side edges resting up against the outer edges 01 angles H and I2, wherebt same act as a guide for the hook shifting member l4 as it is shifted endwise from side to side of the mechanism.

A modified form of hook shifting mechanism is shown in Figure 4. In this type of construction each crank |3a is provided with a square across crank end fitting a suitable bearing l5a which prevents hook shifting member Ma from slipping sidewise around the end of crank [3a. This obviates the necessity of providing shifting member Ma. with guide sides or the equivalent thereof, as is shown in Figure 3.

The end of each of the hooks 3 is provided with a hook head l6 (Figures 5 and 6) which preferably is fiattened to provide wider loops of yarn strung thereover, a thing which facilitates cross weaving. When hook shifting member H3 is pushed endwise to the end of its travel, the hook heads Q5 of hooks 3 will be tipped sidewise so that one edge will be up. The pushing of hook shifting member M in the opposite direction to the end of its travel will turn hook heads IS in the opposite direction so that the side which was up will now be down. With the hook shifting member 14 pushed completely to the end of its travel, the yarn strands strung over the hooks will stand substantially on edge so that a needle 24 with yarn attached may be threaded therethrough near the hooks and the yarn then suitably anchored. The pushing of the hook shifting member M to the opposite end of its travel turns the loops of the yarn strands strung on hooks 3 the other side up so that the needle 24 may then be passed through the same loops in the other direction near the hooks 3 and the yarn anchored on the opposite side. This procedure results in the cross or woof thread being passed alternately over and under each of the longitudinal yarn strands strung on the hooks. The hooks 3 as shown in Figures 1 and 2 are preferably long. This permits the hooks to be gradually drawn down to the fabric being darned as the cross weaving approaches the hooks, a thing which facilitates a smooth weaving job and darning together of the edges of the hook end opening of the hole 2|.

Under normal operation of the device, there is a tendency for the hooks, under the tension of the yarn strung thereon, to assume a substantially vertical position, if the mechanism is held in a substantially horizontal plane, although the weight of the shifting mechanism, in general modifies this due to the pull of gravity. On the other hand, if the device is held substantially on edge, the weight of the shifting member 54 and cranks l3 will tend to tip the hooks in one direction. To overcome this difficulty, as well as the necessity of manually holding the shifting mechanism at the extreme ends of its movement while threading a needle through the loops on the hooks, a locking means is preferably provided which will hold the hook shifting member at the end of its travel until reversing pressure is applied to the end thereof to shift same to the opposite end of its travel where it is again locked in place. One form of this locking mechanism, as shown in Figure 3, consists of raised points or buttons H on the side of angle member l2 and adapted to engage a groove l8 on the inner edge of one side of hook shifting member M. The buttons l1 and groove I 8 are preferably located so as to engage in looking manner only when the hookshifting member I4 is at either of the ends of its travel in shifting hooks 3. A modified form of this locking construction is shown in Figure 4. Here spring member IS with a rounded hook end 20 is mounted on frame, 2 so that when hook shifting member Ma. is forced to the end of its travel, as is shown in dotted lines, the rounded hook end 20 of spring member l9 will hook over the upper edge of hook shifting member Ma and releasably hold same in position. When reversing pressure is applied to the end of hook shifting member Ma to force same to the other end of its travel, spring member IS with its rounded hook end 20 will first release and then again engage hook shifting member Ma and hold same in the reversed position. To aid the rounded hook end 20 of spring member IS in releasably locking shifting member [4a, the latter may be provided with a sloping undercut edge 28.

In use, the operation of the device is as follows: Where a piece of fabric having a hole 2| is to be darned, the piece of fabric is placed on block I and mounted as shown in Figure 1. The yarn, which for simplicity of illustration is shown as single strands, is then placed as follows: The end of the yarn 25 is anchored at 22 and strung back and forth lengthwise of the hole to the hooks as shown. The operator then picks up the mechanism in his left hand so'that same lies, with hook side up, in his palm with his first finger in contact with the hollow 23 of frame 2, his thumb in contact with one end of hook shifting member l4, and his second finger in contact with the other end thereof. Under these conditions, the operator can, by the use of his thumb and second finger, readily shift hook shifting member I4 back and forth to the respective ends of its travel. The device is now ready for use in the laying of the cross or woof threads over the hole. To

accomplish this, the hook shifting member l4 is forced to one end of its travel and the needle 24 fastened on yarn 25 is threaded through the loops of yarn adjacent the hooks 3 and then pulled down and anchored at 26. Hook shifting member I4 is then shifted to the other end of its travel and the needle 24 carrying yarn 25 is again threaded through the loops on hooks 3 in 75,

the opposite directionand same pulled down and anchored at 27. This procedure is continued until the back and forth weaving has completely covered the hole. Under these conditions, the hole will not only be covered, but the woven in material will be anchored to three edges of the hole. Hook f or 8 of resilient member 4' is then unhooked to release block I and following this the loops of yarn 25 are unhooked from hook heads I6 of hooks 3. The ends of these unhooked loops are then darned down to close the fourth and last side of the hole.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be emplyed instead of those explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination which includes a block, a frame adapted for use with said block, a resilient means for holding said frame and block in cooperative relation, said resilient means being in the form of an elongated member passing around said block and provided with hooks adapted to be fastened to said frame, a series of hooks, means for pivotally mounting said hooks on said frame, shifting means for simultaneously rotating said pivotally mounted hooks, and a locking means for releasably holding said shifting means only at its extreme shifted positions.

2. In a darning and weaving device, the combination of a block provided with a groove in its periphery, a frame having a portion adapted to engage part of said groove on said block, a resilient means for engaging a further portion of said groove and holding said block and frame together with the aforesaid portion of the frame engaging the groove of the block, a series of resilient elongated members each of which has a hook at one end and a hairpin crank adjacent the other, each of said members having a long shaft joining the hook and hairpin crank so as to provide spring action which will permit the hook to draw down toward said block when the device is being used for darning or weaving, means for pivotally mounting said elongated members at the hairpin crank end, and shifting means connected to said hairpin cranks for simultaneously rotating said pivotally mounted elongated members.

3. In a darning and weaving device, the combination of a block provided with a groove in its periphery, a frame having a portion adapted to engage part of said groove on said block, a resilient means for engaging a further portion of said groove and holding said block and frame together with the aforesaid portion of the frame engaging the groove of the block, a series of resilient elongated members each of which has a hook at one end and a hairpin crank adjacent the other, each of said members having a long shaft joining the hook and hairpin crank so as to provide spring action which will permit the hook to draw down toward said block when the device is being used for darning or weaving, means for pivotally mounting said elongated members at the hairpin crank end, shifting means connected to said hairpin cranks for simultaneously rotating said pivotally mounted elongated members, and positive locking means for said shifting means.

4. In a darning and weaving device, the comsilient means for engaging a further portion of said groove and holding said block and frame together with the yoke of the frame engaging the groove of the block, a series of resilient elongated members each of which has a wide hook at one end and a hairpin crank adjacent the other, each-- of said members having a long shaft joining the hook and hairpin crank so as to provide spring action which will permit the hook to draw down toward said block when the device is being'used for darning or weaving, means for pivotally mounting said elongated members at the hairpin crank end so that the hook ends will not interfere with each other during shifting and will be over said block adjacent the frame edge thereof, shifting means for simultaneously shifting all of said pivoted hooks, and locking means for releasably holding said shifting means only at both of its maximum shifted positions.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination which includes a frame, a series of hooks, means for pivotally mounting said hooks on said frame, shifting means for simultaneously rotating said pivotally mounted hooks, and a separate locking means for holding said hooks in shifted position, said locking means including a pair of latch parts which releasably hold the hook mechanism only at its extreme shifted positions.

6. In a darning and weaving device, the combination of a block provided with a groove in its periphery, a frame having a. portion adapted to engage part of said groove in said block, a hook ended resilient means for engaging a further portion of said groove for holding said block and frame together with the aforesaid portion of the frame engaging the groove of the block, means on said frame for engagement with the hooks on said resilient means, a series of resilient elongated members each of which has a hook at one end and a hairpin crank adjacent the other, means for pivotally mounting said elongated members at the hairpin crank end, shifting means connected to said hairpin cranks for simultaneously rotating said pivotally mounted members, and a separate locking means for releasably holding said shifting means, said locking means including latch parts which grip said shifting means and releasably hold it only at its extreme shifted positions.

'7. In a darning and Weaving device, the combination of a block provided with a groove in its periphery, a frame having a yoke adapted to: engage a portion of said groove in said block, a hook ended resilient means for engaging a further portion of said groove and holding said block and frame together with the yoke of the frame engaging the groove of the block, means on said frame for engagement with the hooks on said resilient means, a series of resilient elongated members each of which has a hook at one end and a hairpin crank adjacent the other, each of said members having a long shaft between the hook and hairpin crank so as to provide spring action which will permit the hook to draw down toward said block when the device is used for darning or weaving, means for pivotally mounting said elongated members at the hairpin crank end, shifting means connected to said hairpin cranks for simultaneously rotating said pivotally mounted elongated members, and a separate locking means for releasably holding said shifting 75 bination of a block provided with a groove in its periphery, a frame having a yoke adapted to engage a portion of said groove in said block, a re'-' means, said locking means including a latching mechanism which grips said shifting means and releasably holds it only at its extreme shifted positions.

8. In a darning and weaving device, the combination of a block provided with a groove extending around its periphery, a frame having a portion adapted to engage part of the groove on said block, said frame having a downwardly offset portion, one edge of which engages part of the groove of said block, the point of offsetting being provided with an opening at each edge of the frame, a resilient means in the form of an elongated member with a hook on each end thereof, said resilient means being adapted to lie in part of the groove of said block when same is engaged on one side by said frame, the hook ends of said resilient member being adapted to hook into the openings of said frame and grip the block and frame together, a series of hooks, means for pivotally mounting said hooks on said frame so that lines corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the hooks will pass over the face of said block, shifting means for simultaneously rotating said pivotally mounted hooks, and a positive locking means for releasably fastening the shifting means at its extreme shifted positions.

HUBERTUS v. K. FRIEDLAND. 

